Condos and Vermont GOP spar over early voting

Billi Gosh, left and Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos stand with the Vermont delegation on the second evening of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, July 26, 2016.(Photo11: APRIL BURBANK/FREE PRESS)Buy Photo

Secretary of State Jim Condos accused Vermont Republican Chairman David Sunderland of sowing partisanship and division on Tuesday after Sunderland sent him a letter suggesting his office was timing the printing of absentee ballots to benefit Democrats.

In an open letter sent on Monday, Sunderland said he was concerned that towns with large numbers of Democratic voters had received their ballots first, giving residents a longer time to vote.

"This could benefit your political party in both state and federal elections," Sunderland wrote.

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Chair of the Vermont Republican Party Dave Sunderland announces some election results during GOP party in the Emerald Grand Ballroom at the Sheraton on Tuesday night November 4, 2014 in Burlington.(Photo11: Free Press File)

Sunderland demanded a detailed response from Condos by Tuesday outlining the process behind choosing the order in which towns receive their ballots.

"I am replying today, in the strongest possible terms, that the allegations and innuendo in your letter about how my Elections Division distributes the official ballots for this and every election are baseless, uninformed, and frankly, offensive," Condos wrote in his letter.

Condos went on to explain that the Elections Division has no input on the order after the ballots are finalized by his office. Vermont law states that early voter absentee ballots shall be mailed once town clerks receive them, meaning that clerks are required to send out the ballots even if other towns have not received theirs yet.

Sunderland wrote that he sent his letter because he wanted to be sure that Democratic towns getting ballots first was a coincidence, and not an attempt to sway the election for Democrats.

Condos said his office takes every possible step to remain impartial in their administration of the election. Suggesting otherwise would be a very serious allegation, he said.

He invited Sunderland to come to his office to meet the elections team and discuss the law directly.